Harrisburg's Global Lion Mentors help international students build community

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. - For international students starting a new life far from home, Global Lion Mentors, a Penn State Harrisburg program, aims to create connections and offer support to help those students succeed.

The program helps international students adjust to life at Penn State Harrisburg and in the surrounding community. It connects international students with student mentors to provide guidance and practical support throughout the year - from finding bus routes and grocery stores to managing homesickness and accessing student services.

"The Global Lion Mentor program is rewarding from both the student and staff perspectives," said Wendy Moynihan, global education coordinator in the Global Engagement Office. "Our international students benefit from the mentor connection and sense of belonging within our small, yet diverse community. Oftentimes, this benefit is the catalyst for students to then become mentors themselves during their second year at our campus. As staff, it is a joy to observe the value of peer support and it's always an honor to work with our amazing student mentors."

"Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest difference," said Adriana Medina, a mechanical engineering student from Peru, who is a Global Lion Mentor. "When students first arrive, they might not know where to go for help or what to expect. We're there to help them feel seen, supported, and at home."

Medina recalled meeting a first-year student from Peru who was struggling to adjust.

"She told me later that I was the reason she stayed. She finally felt like she belonged here," she said. "That meant everything to me."

The Global Lion Mentors organize social and cultural activities designed to help students build friendships and learn about life in the U.S. - from shopping trips and ice cream socials to educational sessions and day-long excursions.

One trip took students to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, for a day of canoeing and exploring the town.

"It was such a fun and beautiful day," said Ajayda Williams, an accounting student originally from Jamaica, who is a mentor. "We all learned to paddle together, worked as a team, and just enjoyed the fall weather. Trips like that create memories and real connections."

On a winter snow tubing trip, Williams and another mentor helped a student with a disability fully participate.

"He was using crutches, but he wanted to try it," she said. "We helped him down the hill safely and just made sure he didn't feel left out. Seeing him laughing and having fun like everyone else - that's what inclusion really looks like."

Mentors also help lead educational events for international students.

Mentors said the program benefits from close teamwork and staff support. They work with Moynihan and Ruhi Banerjee, international student success coordinator, both in the Global Engagement Office. The mentors added that their supervisors create an encouraging environment where they feel valued.

The mentoring program is part of a larger network of global engagement at Penn State Harrisburg, which also includes the Global Ambassadors program, focused on intercultural communication, leadership development, and cultural programming. Both programs are coordinated through the Global Engagement Office.

Both Medina and Williams said the experience strengthened their confidence and communication skills.

For Medina, the role emphasized understanding and active listening. She added that the program deepened her appreciation for learning about other cultures.

"Being part of Global Lion Mentors showed me how powerful cross-cultural experiences can be," she said.

For Williams, the program helped her grow as a leader.

"I used to dread public speaking," she said, "but now I can talk to anyone - in front of a group, in class, or with people from different cultures."

Both mentors said the friendships they have built - and the difference they have made - are what they value most.

"It's about building community," Medina said. "When students from India, China, Africa, Latin America, and the U.S. all come together, you realize how much we can learn from each other."